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Medical records analyst vs health information technician

The differences between medical records analysts and health information technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a medical records analyst and a health information technician. Additionally, a medical records analyst has an average salary of $73,609, which is higher than the $34,604 average annual salary of a health information technician.

The top three skills for a medical records analyst include patients, patient care and medical terminology. The most important skills for a health information technician are patients, medical terminology, and customer service.

Medical records analyst vs health information technician overview

Medical Records AnalystHealth Information Technician
Yearly salary$73,609$34,604
Hourly rate$35.39$16.64
Growth rate11%11%
Number of jobs61,145120,786
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 45%Associate Degree, 41%
Average age4545
Years of experience1212

What does a medical records analyst do?

A medical records analyst oversees healthcare records and data within an organization. Their job duties include creating reports and using records to determine how to better streamline processes. They also need to compile, calculate, audit, verify and organize information. They review the records to ensure they are accurate, interpret billing and payment information, and generate reports to be used by the management for review. The main qualification for this position is a degree in health information management.

What does a health information technician do?

A health information technician is primarily responsible for managing and handling patient information, ensuring accuracy and confidentiality. They coordinate with various health care workers to gather patient data, laboratory results, test findings, and medical histories, encoding them in clinical databases in a timely and efficient manner. They must analyze every information to detect any inconsistencies, performing corrective measures right away. Furthermore, as a health information technician, it is essential to utilize particular software and systems when processing information, all while adhering to the hospital's policies and regulations.

Medical records analyst vs health information technician salary

Medical records analysts and health information technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

Medical Records AnalystHealth Information Technician
Average salary$73,609$34,604
Salary rangeBetween $53,000 And $101,000Between $26,000 And $45,000
Highest paying CityManchester, CTFairbanks, AK
Highest paying stateConnecticutAlaska
Best paying companyMayo ClinicStifel Financial
Best paying industryFinanceGovernment

Differences between medical records analyst and health information technician education

There are a few differences between a medical records analyst and a health information technician in terms of educational background:

Medical Records AnalystHealth Information Technician
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 45%Associate Degree, 41%
Most common majorBusinessHealth Care Administration
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Southern California

Medical records analyst vs health information technician demographics

Here are the differences between medical records analysts' and health information technicians' demographics:

Medical Records AnalystHealth Information Technician
Average age4545
Gender ratioMale, 19.8% Female, 80.2%Male, 16.5% Female, 83.5%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 16.7% Asian, 8.8% White, 58.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3%Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 17.2% Asian, 8.6% White, 59.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3%
LGBT Percentage9%9%

Differences between medical records analyst and health information technician duties and responsibilities

Medical records analyst example responsibilities.

  • Implement policies and procedures to achieve optimum DRG reimbursement.
  • Manage and transfer health records as requested following HIPAA regulations and internal procedures.
  • Attend state and local AHIMA, Medicare, CPT-4 and ICD-9 meetings/seminars.
  • Support user on ICU units.
  • Write appeals for claim denials.
  • Head up the ICD-10-CM preparation project.
  • Show more

Health information technician example responsibilities.

  • Maximize ROI by effectively managing the microfiche process.
  • Assist patients and staff on filling out ROI's, and explain what exactly are being release or obtain.
  • Perform analysis and assembly of emergency room and surgery records and release records according to HIPAA regulations and confidentially.
  • Input data into a windows base in-house system.
  • Scan medical records in the EHR using the NEXTGEN software.
  • Attend advanced SQL coding workshops to optimize and refine database infrastructure.
  • Show more

Medical records analyst vs health information technician skills

Common medical records analyst skills
  • Patients, 24%
  • Patient Care, 8%
  • Medical Terminology, 8%
  • Data Entry, 7%
  • HIPAA, 5%
  • CPT, 4%
Common health information technician skills
  • Patients, 20%
  • Medical Terminology, 13%
  • Customer Service, 9%
  • HIPAA, 9%
  • Patient Care, 7%
  • Data Entry, 5%

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